Objective: The insulin-mimetic adipocytokine visfatin has been linked to adiposity and the metabolic syndrome.
Design: Cross-sectional study.
Subjects: Eighty-three nondiabetic obese children and 40 healthy controls.
Measurements: We analyzed plasma visfatin concentrations to assess whether this adipokine is associated with adiposity.
Results: Plasma visfatin concentrations were nearly 2-fold higher in obese children (mean, 1.1 ng/mL; 95% CI, 0.2-6.6) than in controls (0.6 ng/mL, 95% CI, 0.6 to 0.6; P < 0.001). No relationship was detectable between visfatin and other subject characteristics, hsCRP or the lipid profile.
Conclusions: Visfatin may be involved in the development of metabolic derangements in obese children.